Latest news with #LadyT
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fisherman caught in diplomatic row with France breaks silence
A British fishing skipper whose boat was seized by the French has accused them of threatening his livelihood. Phil Parker said the French maritime authorities had seized 200 whelk pots and robbed him of £6,000 of fishing income by impounding the Lady T for six days before releasing it for a bond of €30,000 (£25,200). He also faces a fine of €45,000 (£38,000) on top of the bond if found guilty by a French court of 'non-authorised fishing in French waters' in a boat from outside the EU. Speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, Mr Parker told The Telegraph that he intended to fight the case to the bitter end, claiming he had been only 288 metres into EU waters when his boat was stopped by the French. He has the backing of British fishing industry leaders, who have accused the Labour Government of selling out the British fleet, and said the treatment of the Lady T showed the French were not interested in partnership. The Lady T, based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was intercepted by the Pluvier, a French navy ship, on May 22 for 'non-authorised fishing in French waters'. Four days later, the vessel, which was accused of fishing for whelks without an external waters licence, was allowed to return to Britain following the payment of the bond. Mr Parker said that he failed to realise that his boat's licence to fish in the waters where he was stopped had not been renewed when he set sail. But he said the French maritime authorities behaved vindictively by impounding his boat rather than letting him off with a warning. He said: 'I was bang in the middle of the English Channel. Thirty miles from the English coast and 28.9 miles from the French coast. But they stopped me and jumped on board, even though I was only 288 metres inside the 30-mile EU waters line. 'For some reason, the boat's licence to be in those waters had not been reissued, as it is automatically every year, so they said I was fishing illegally. 'I could understand it if I had been inside their 12-mile French waters limit, but it was in the middle of the English Channel. All I needed to be there legally was a bit of paper I thought we had.' The seizure of the Lady T came just days after Sir Keir Starmer granted EU fishermen access to British waters for another 12 years in a deal critics fear will damage the industry. One industry source said: 'Nobody across the fishing fleet sees any fairness in the deal. It's terrible news for the whole of the industry. We are less protected than they [the French] are under the new deal. And then they go and seize a boat like The Lady T. 'Yes, the boat should have had the right paperwork, but the French should have exercised some discretion, especially as it came just after the new deal was agreed. They should just have had some stern words with the skipper and sent him on his way, not seize the boat. 'You'd have thought the French, especially the French government, would have handled it differently given the circumstances of the deal. But that's not how the French seem to do things.' After being seized, the Lady T was taken to Boulogne, where it was held for six days. Its crew stayed in local accommodation, but Mr Parker remained with the boat, with no toilet or shower, to ensure its safety. 'I couldn't just leave the boat. Eventually, after six days, they got my €30,000 deposit and I got to sail back. I could still get fined on top of that, which I'm not very happy about,' he said. Mr Parker claims the French maritime authorities appear determined to put him and other fishermen like him out of business. 'It's not nice having this prosecution hanging over me,' he said. 'But I'm going to fight this.' Despite the uncertainty Mr Parker, who has a wife and six children, has no choice but to continue fishing, this time with the external waters licence he should have had when his boat was seized. This has now been issued, allowing him to set sail once again. But his task has not been made any easier by the seizure of 200 of his 800 whelk pots, which he will have to replace. These were taken despite Mr Philips maintaining that when his boat was stopped he only had a small number of whelks from the EU side of the Channel in them. 'I've been fishing for 14 years and I would never break the law, but for some reason that bit of paper, the licence we needed, hadn't come, so technically I was in the wrong,' he said. 'I thought I was simply doing the job I've done for years. You'd have thought they could have been a bit more lenient with me.' Following the seizure of the Lady T, Olivier Lepretre, the chairman of the regional fishing committee in northern France, suggested it had been intercepted in a tit-for-tat spat. The skipper and owner of Pierre D'Ambre, a French-registered vessel, were fined £40,000 at Newcastle magistrates' court in April after pleading guilty to bottom-trawling in a prohibited area of the offshore Brighton marine conservation zone. Mr Lepretre said last week: 'Until now, the French government has always favoured discussions to repression, as opposed to the British government which always imposes rules that are more and more restrictive, and more and more counterproductive for French fishermen. 'There comes a moment when you have to say: stop.' Another French official said at the time that the Lady T was 'looking for it' after entering exclusive French waters. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Fisherman caught in diplomatic row with France breaks silence
A British fishing skipper whose boat was seized by the French has accused them of threatening his livelihood. Phil Parker said the French maritime authorities had seized 200 whelk pots and robbed him of £6,000 of fishing income by impounding his boat The Lady T for six days before releasing it for a bond of €30,000 (£25,200). He also faces a fine of €45,000 Euros (£38,000) on top of the bond if found guilty by a French court of 'non-authorised fishing in French waters' in a non-EU boat. Speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, Mr Parker told The Telegraph he intended to fight the case to the bitter end, claiming he had been only 288 metres into EU waters when his boat was stopped by the French. He has the backing of British fishing industry leaders, who have accused the Labour Government of selling out the British fleet, and said the treatment of the Lady T showed the French were not interested in partnership. The Lady T, based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was intercepted by the Pluvier, a French navy ship, on May 22 for 'non-authorised fishing in French waters'. Four days later, the vessel, which was accused of fishing for whelks without an External Waters Licence, was allowed to return to Britain following the payment of the 30,000 Euros bond. Mr Parker said he failed to realise that his boat's licence to fish in the waters where he was stopped had not been renewed when he set sail. But he said the French maritime authorities behaved vindictively by impounding his boat rather than letting him off with a warning.
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Owner of British fishing boat seized by French fined €30,000
A British fishing boat seized by French authorities in the English Channel last month was released after officials forced its owner to pay €30,000 (£25,260), it has been revealed. The Lady T, based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was intercepted by the Pluvier, a French navy ship, on May 22 for 'non-authorised fishing in French waters'. Four days later, the vessel, which was accused of fishing for whelks without a licence, was allowed to return to Britain following the payment of what sources described at the time as a 'substantial' sum. Pierre-Michel Bon-Gloro, the deputy departmental director of territories and the sea for Pas-de-Calais, has now disclosed that the Lady T was released 'upon payment of a €30,000 deposit' to French maritime authorities. A fishing industry source said: 'The skipper of the Lady T is not at all happy about the French keeping the €30,000 bail. It's effectively a fine by any other word. 'He's set up a GoFundMe page to help him pay it because it's a hell of a lot of money for anyone to have to lose like that.' 'Tit-for-tat spat' Following the seizure of the Lady T, Olivier Leprêtre, chairman of the regional fishing committee in northern France, suggested it had been intercepted in a tit-for-tat spat. It came after the skipper and owner of Pierre D'Ambre, a French-registered vessel, were fined £40,000 at Newcastle magistrates' court in April after being accused of bottom-trawling in a prohibited area of the Offshore Brighton Marine Conservation Zone. Mr Leprêtre told The Times: 'Until now the French government has always favoured discussions to repression, as opposed to the British government which always imposes rules that are more and more restrictive, and more and more counterproductive for French fishermen. 'There comes a moment when you have to say: Stop.' Another French official said at the time that the Lady T was 'looking for it' after entering exclusive French waters. 'One moment it was in French waters, the next moment it was next to them,' they added. 'A very expensive lesson' The Telegraph understands that the Lady T has now returned to sea and is fishing in EU waters under an external waters licence. A source said: 'The skipper is feeling very sore about the entire episode, as you can imagine. He's been fishing in those waters all his life. 'He'd been waiting for his external waters licence when the boat was seized. It's been a very expensive lesson for him.' The seizure came days after Sir Keir Starmer granted EU fishermen access to British waters for another 12 years in a deal critics fear will damage the industry. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, previously accused the French of 'shameful double standards' over the Lady T incident.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Seized British fishing boat Lady T is released by French authorities after being 'held hostage' as skipper is issued with 'substantial' fine
A British fishing boat that was 'held hostage' by the French authorities after allegedly operating without a licence has been reportedly released. The Lady T, based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was held in Boulogne-sur-Mer, at risk of confiscation, after being intercepted by the Pluvier, a French Navy Ship, on Thursday. Now, a court source in Boulgone-sur-Mer has confirmed that the historic 10m long vessel, named after former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has been released, the Daily Telegraph has reported. The catamaran's skipper, who appeared in court in Boulogne-ser-Mer on Monday afternoon, has allegedly been forced to pay a 'substantial fine' for the boat's release, according to sources. While the exact fine issued remains unknown, previous reports have suggested that the skipper could be paying up to £63,000 for 'non-authorised fishing in French waters' by a non-EU boat. Responding to the boat's release, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, told the Daily Telegraph: 'Fantastic news that the French have released this vessel. It should have never been impounded in the first place. 'If the French put half as much effort into stopping illegal immigrants as they did into harassing British fishermen then we would not have floods of immigrants crossing the channel. 'I urge the French to direct their efforts towards stopping the small bats as they are obliged to do under international law'. It comes after Olivier Leprêtre, chairman of the regional fishing committee in northern France, suggested on Sunday that the boat could have been seized as a tit-for-tat measure after a French skipper was fined in a landmark case last month. French-registered Pierre D'Ambre was fined £40,000 in Newcastle Magistrates Court after being accused of bottom-trawling in a prohibited area of the Offshore Brighton Marine Conservation Zone. The seizure also followed extensive criticism pointed towards Prime Minister Keir Starmer over a landmark deal with the EU over fishing rights which hugely favour the French. Confirming the previous holding of Lady T, a spokesman for France 's Maritime Prefecture previously said: 'On Thursday, May 22, the French Navy's public service patrol vessel, the Pluvier, conducted a fishing inspection in the French Exclusive Economic Zone, off the Somme Bay. 'During this operation, which was part of the State's maritime enforcement, a British fishing vessel was inspected by sailors from the Navy patrol vessel while fishing without a license in French waters. 'As the offence was proved, the fishing vessel was diverted during the night of May 23rd to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, following the instructions of the Delegate for the Sea and Coastline, acting on behalf of the Regional Prefect, who oversees the fisheries police, for the purpose of initiating prosecution under the authority of the Public Prosecutor.' The Francesca TO 80 (pictured), registered in Truro, Cornwall, was also intercepted and detained in French waters last Saturday - less than 48 hours before the UK government was accused of 'surrendering' to the EU over fishing rights. The spokesman added: 'This operation demonstrates the vigilance of State services in protecting fisheries resources and their determination to enforce regulations. 'It sends a clear signal to those who might be tempted to fish illegally in French waters.' Following the boat's seizure, Mr Philp accused the French of 'shameful double standards', telling the Daily Telegraph that the country should 'start stopping boats with illegal immigrants' rather than focusing upon a UK fishing vessel within French waters. The Francesca TO 80, registered in Truro, Cornwall, was also intercepted and detained in French waters last Saturday - less than 48 hours before the UK government was accused of ' surrendering' to the EU over fishing rights. Spotted 30 nautical miles off the island of Batz, off Roscoff, Brittany, the boat was then escorted to the port of Brest after inspectors suspected the crew of unlicensed fishing in French waters. This also constituted an offence under the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code, it was alleged. Under a new deal sealed by Sir Keir Starmer, European trawlers will be granted access to British waters for a further 12 years. A previous agreement, reached under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saw the UK regain 25 per cent of EU fishing quotas, but this was set to run out next year. Now the EU will maintain unfettered access to the UK's coastal waters until 2038. While Sir Keir described it as a 'landmark' deal between the EU and an 'independent' UK, members of the Conservative Party and Reform UK were critical of the agreement. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the 12-year deal on access for European boats 'will be the end of the fishing industry'. Sir Keir Starmer met with the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, alongside European Council President Antonio Costa, on May 19 at a summit hosted in Lancaster House, London, in order to negotiate the controversial deal. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was contacted for comment.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Seized British fishing boat released by French
A British fishing boat seized in the Channel by French authorities has been released, The Telegraph understands. The skipper of the Lady T, who appeared in a court in Boulogne-sur-Mer on Monday afternoon, has been ordered to pay a 'substantial fine', sources have claimed. A court source in Boulogne-sur-Mer also confirmed the Lady T had been released. The exact amount has not been disclosed. The Lady T, based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was intercepted by a French navy ship on Thursday for fishing for whelks without a licence. Olivier Leprêtre, the chairman of the regional fishing committee in northern France, suggested on Sunday that the boat had been seized as a tit-for-tat measure after a French skipper was fined in a case last month. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: 'Fantastic news that the French have released this vessel. It should never have been impounded in the first place. 'If the French put half as much effort into stopping illegal immigrants as they did into harassing British fishermen then we would not have floods of illegal immigrants crossing the channel. 'I urge the French to direct their efforts towards stopping the small boats as they are obliged to do under international law.' Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory MP for Chingford and Woodford Green and former party leader, told The Telegraph French authorities had blamed the number of migrants boats leaving for the UK as the reason they were initially unable to seize the British vessel. He said: 'As the French were seizing the British fishing boat, I understand they complained that there were so many migrant boats leaving the French coast for the UK and getting in their way that they had difficulty seizing the British fishing boat.' Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, said: 'Why can the French catch legal British fishing boats but not illegal migrant dinghies? Do they not love their neighbours?' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
